Lighting above staircase
Stairway lighting ideas – 17 stylish ways to light up your staircase
If you're looking to brighten up a dark staircase, our stellar stairway lighting ideas will not only illuminate your stairs but will make them a focal point.
Your staircase lighting needs to be bright so that you and your family can use the stairs safely. Also hallway stairs are on an incline in probably the narrowest spot in your home meaning a lot of lighting ideas just won’t work in the space.
Jamie Moxey, Design Consultant at Dusk Lighting says, 'A stairway has the potential to become a beautiful focal feature as you enter a house. And lighting is one of the methods you can use to achieve this.'
'Lighting does not serve a purely practical function in the home, it can easily add striking design features and focal points for desired spaces. Therefore, it is worth considering if you can use your stairway lighting to enhance the overall look of the entryway.'
So without further ado, we show you how to light up your staircase ideas both practically and stylishly.
Stairway lighting ideas
(Image credit: Future PLC/Brent Darby)
Stairwells offer a great opportunity for something a bit more ‘showy’ when it comes to lighting. Make use of the extra height and space by choosing a multi-drop pendant or waterfall chandelier that will add wow in an entrance hall but add visual interest on levels going upstairs too.
2. Start with a well-lit hallway
(Image credit: Original BTC)
Hallway lighting ideas and stairway lighting ideas differ to other areas of the home. Hallways tend to have few or no windows, so often there isn’t much natural light. And the size of the hallway can make it tricky to light too, if it’s small and poky or long and narrow.
An overhead pendant is a good starting point. It will provide general background light for the hall and light the foot of the staircase, giving the space a focal point. A large single pendant will work in a spacious, square-shaped hallway. Or try two smaller pendants if the space is long and narrow.
3. Light up your hallway and staircase
(Image credit: Pooky)
If you've got a fairly open hallway with a winding staircase, why not light the two areas with a pendant scheme? Pooky's Stella pendant lights , from £190, come in two different sizes, so pick one of each to create a statement cluster arrangement.
Pooky’s founder Rohan Blacker explains, 'No one dwells here so you can be daring with size and colour without disrupting the space beyond. Chandeliers or clusters of pendants are a nice way to add statement and grandeur to a hallway or base of a staircase.'
4. Have fun with fancy wall lights
(Image credit: Sweetpea & Willow)
Wall lights can be tricky in a narrow hallway or staircase as anything too bulky could impede the journey through the entrance or up the stairs. Choose a semi-flush design rather than a wall light with a sconce so that it doesn’t cause an obstacle.
Pooky ’s founder Rohan Blacker explains more.
'The hallway is often the entry point to set the tone for the rest of your décor; the big reveal. So allow your personality to show with fun or unique lighting. Of course, whilst you should keep perspective in mind, you can afford to be quite bold in this space.'
5. Fit in-stair lighting
(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)
If you have a low ceiling height on your staircase, you could light up the stairs themselves instead to safely guide you up. Choose in-built low level lighting like in this wooden stairway.
'The best options for a practical consideration would be recessed low level lighting, which is often used on the stairs to focus light directly on the step and increase visibility,' says James Moxey, Design Consultant at Dusk Lighting .
6. Add wow with an oversized pendant
(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)
In a high-ceilinged hallway, opt for a large overhead pendant to give the space a focal point. Make sure that hall and stairway lights are controlled separately so you can switch them on and off whether upstairs or down.
Ensure that switches are positioned near doorways and at each level of the stairway so you won’t have to walk up or downstairs in darkness.
The stark white of this hallway and stairs is broken up by the soft grey stairway carpet and black picture frames on the wall.
7. Add layers of light
(Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore)
Boost lighting levels by working in extra layers of light in key places. Additional wall lights or a lamp near the foot of a staircase will cast extra light going upstairs, which can be useful in a dimly-lit entrance like the grey hallway shown above. Do the same on landings too. Just be sure that any cables and flexes are secured so that there’s no trip hazard.
8. Line up lights in a corridor
(Image credit: Davey Lighting)
For a long narrow hallway, upstairs landing or staircase, try adding a row of wall lights. They’ll provide even and consistent lighting and will draw the eye along the space.
Position in a strategic place, such as over a console table or near a coat rack. The traditional style lamps shown above complement the stair runner.
9. Add impact in a stairwell
(Image credit: Fritz Fryer)
Choose a light fitting that suits the scale of your space. This smoky glass pendant sits perfectly above this low ceiling staircase with an L shape. Its stylish design picks up the slimline, metal detail bannister and adds a slick focal point.
10. Install a wall sconce on a landing
(Image credit: B&Q)
Create a guiding light on a small hallway or staircase landing with a bright wall sconce. This wall light from B&Q , £25, is extra bright due to the exposed LED bulb which is will adequately light the way. Pair with a decorative filament bulb to create a contemporary industrial look.
11. Finish off with a 'wow' chandelier upstairs
(Image credit: Future PLC/Rachael Smith)
Make a dramatic impact with a chandelier situated directly above a staircase as shown in the landing idea above.
If you have multiple floors, with a winding staircase, an elegant chandelier will look stunning in a central atrium down to a white hallway.
Look up and you'll see its glimmering crystals. Look down from the top stairs and you'll see the bottom landings lit with its glow.
12. Light the staircase from underneath
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
If you have a modern staircase with open backs, why not light the steps from underneath. These multi functional stair strip lights from John Cullen Lighting sit under each stair tread and uplight the wall in the courtyard beyond, creating a slick, modern finish to this minimalist stairway.
13. Guide guests upstairs with atmospheric wall lighting
(Image credit: Pooky)
Looking for wall sconces with a little more pizazz? These gold aluminium round Helix wall lights from Pooky, in a brushed finish are backlit to create a subtle, moody atmosphere, when lit up in the evening. Dependent on your hallway colour scheme, you could feature a striking stairway wall idea using wallpaper with them to really make then pack a punch.
Pooky's Founder, Rohan Blacker says, 'There's something slightly galactic or even ethereal about these wall sconces. The embedded, non-dimmable LED components shine back on the wall to create a lovely gentle glow that will add lovely warm dimension.'
14. Low level recessed wall lights
(Image credit: Lighting Direct)
Choose recessed lighting along the wall to light the way, like these Astro Leros Trimless LED Wall Light , £62 from Dusk Lighting. The recessed wall luminaire offers a special form of indirect lighting, giving the impression that the light comes from inside the wall itself.
15. Go for a dramatic light installation
(Image credit: Boco do Lobo)
Create the ultimate statement at a staircase by installing a floor to ceiling light installation that hangs from the top of the stairs to the very bottom. During the day this celestial lighting design looks like art. Once on at night, it turns into a stunning, ethereal way to light up the stairway.
This is a winning open plan living room idea.
16. Light up a small landing with industrial feature lights
(Image credit: Nest)
In a small modern home, it's worth playing with lighting to double up as art. In this industrial style open plan space, the staircase is lit with Buster and Punch caged wall light , £431. With exposed filament bulbs and marble effect backing, this wall light adds drama, picking up the metal finishes of the staircase railing.
17. Use fairy lights to light the way
(Image credit: Lights 4 Fun)
During the festive season (and beyond), a simple but effective bannister idea is to string fairy lights around the staircase spindles. They'll look stunning both during the day and at night, and will add a welcome twinkle to your hallway too.
Here's a great fairy light idea: if you have more than one staircase, you could continue up the next flight of stairs – perfect for guests when they pop to the loo in the middle of the night.
How do you light up a staircase?
There are lots of ways to light up a staircase. If you have an open staircase, you could opt for a pendant light on the landing. Light can reach down the flight of stairs and can have just the same effect as wall lights when chosen just right.
As staircases often have a lack of natural light, you could create an efficient lighting scheme on the landing to remedy this issue. Multiple pendant lights, either installed individually above the staircase or as part of one cluster design, is a modern look that will complement any contemporary home decor.
Suited to a more traditional style of home, a chandelier can be installed in an open hallway and also on the landing for a coordinated look that can expertly light up your staircase with a lavish touch.
Xander Shreenan, interior designer at home décor brand Dowsing & Reynolds says, 'Most staircases have walls facing each other so using wall-mounted lighting is great for creating a softer ambience in the space.
Up and down lighting will emphasise the length of the walls and create a sense of grandeur.'
'Step lighting is a great way to enhance the architecture of your home whilst also making the stairs safer.'
'Your stairway is a great place to add a statement lighting piece. Although not your typical ‘room’, hanging a beautiful chandelier or pendant that speaks to your individuality can make all the difference to how you feel when you walk up and down the stairs each day.'
Where should lights be placed on a stairwell?
One of the most popular is hanging a ceiling light to keep your stairs well lit. Some prefer to light up the stairway on a low level to guide you up the stairs from the steps themselves. Or with recessed wall lights directly by the steps.
This unobtrusive lighting choice will not only look brilliant, but wired separately, these stair lights can be left on as nightlights to safely light up the stairs at night. Plus, choosing LED lights make this option energy efficient too.
Another savvy place to add staircase lighting is on walls. Downlighters or uplighters will work wonders. Just make sure you choose an option that gives off a bright light.
Jamie Moxey, Design Consultant at Dusk Lighting explains, 'The appropriate lighting is always imperative for a staircase due to the health and safety aspect. So dimly lit lights may not work well in this area unless they are being supplemented with additional light.'
Additional words by Lisa Fazzani.
10 ways to illuminate stairs in style |
Staircase lighting ideas can be stunning in their own right, but they must deliver in other ways, too. Most importantly of all, they should enable good visibility so all members of the household can use the staircase without hazard.
But lighting can also be designed to show what a fabulous sculptural feature of a home the staircase is, illuminating its shape and the materials from which it’s made, as part of your hallway ideas.
Be inspired by the staircase lighting ideas we’ve gathered here together with expert advice from design professionals.
Staircase lighting ideas
Staircase lighting illuminates a central feature of your home. ‘When considering lighting, the design of staircase ideas, construction and desired effects are the key elements to consider, along with finish and texture,’ says Luke Thomas, creative director of John Cullen Lighting .
‘In most cases, lighting on staircases isn’t purely a decorative theme, it also serves a very real function in terms of safety. Glare should be avoided and maintenance considered, whilst enhancing the form can add beauty and softness.’
1. Light the staircase from below
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
If your staircase is curved in shape, hallway lighting ideas combined with staircase lighting can draw attention to its shapeliness. ‘Recessed uplights have been used to wash the gentle curve of the underside of the stair, and have also been set into the tread itself for wash of uplight,’ explains Luke Thomas of this design.
‘This boosts the general lighting levels and helps emphasize the textures and curves stairs can create.
’
2. Scale up staircase lighting
(Image credit: Sims Hilditch)
Opt for staircase lighting ideas that can command attention with their proportions. ‘If your staircase has a high ceiling, why not consider installing large pendant lighting or a chandelier?’ suggests Louise Wicksteed, design director for Sims Hilditch interior design.
‘This draws the eye and makes a statement, transforming this otherwise innocuous space into a feature of the home.’
3. Create harmony with the staircase style
(Image credit: Future)
Opt for staircase lighting ideas that are sympathetic to the style of the staircase itself. Here the wall lighting and ceiling light echo the materials of the staircase railing, continuing the industrial theme that makes use of black metal elements for the stringer and baluster.
A grill-style baluster is a useful way to keep the stairwell as light as possible as its structure allows both natural and artificial light through rather than blocking it.
4. Light a staircase from below
(Image credit: John Cullen)
It’s possible to create the illusion that the steps of an open riser staircase are floating by hiding the light source under each tread.
‘When not illuminated LED tape recessed into the underside of the step is invisible, but when lit it creates a beautifully soft, floating effect,’ explains Luke Thomas. ‘This lights the tread below as well as casting wonderful shadows under the staircase.’
5. Factor in wall decor in planning lighting
(Image credit: Mel Yates)
When you’re planning staircase lighting make sure it doesn’t negatively impact the other decorative elements of this part of your home, such as wall decor ideas. On this staircase a large artwork fills the half landing wall, creating a focal point from both above and below. The pendant light, meanwhile, is suspended at a height that doesn’t impede the view to the painting.
Note, too, that this fitting allows light to be directed at the artwork as well as directly on to the staircase to create safe passage up and down stairs.
6. Layer staircase and hall lighting
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting Interior design: Mason Designs Photograph: James Balston)
Just as in other areas of your home, plan layers of light for the staircase and hallway below for effective and attractive illumination.
You could consider stair tread lighting as well as low level lighting in the hallway to illuminate the way at floor height. It can be teamed with elegant wall lighting, as well as a pendant light that casts intricate patterns across stair runners and walls to make a truly impactful entrance to a home.
7. Opt for a chandelier
(Image credit: Future)
If yours is a grand hallway, hanging a chandelier might be number one on your list of staircase lighting ideas. One of these traditional fittings can be the perfect partner to a staircase that’s much more than a simple way to traverse from one floor of a home to another, like this one.
A chandelier complements features such as ornate, curvaceous spindles and a scrolled handrail, and completes a traditional scheme.
8. Work with low level light
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
Opt for wall-recessed lights for a staircase, and there’s the possibility to enjoy different effects, depending on the level at which they are fitted above the staircase treads.
‘Set them higher for a wash of light, and lower in the string for more of a skimming effect across the tread,’ suggests Luke Thomas.
For a staircase with niches, wall-recessed lights can be combined with spotlights or architectural up/downlights to provide ambient lighting on half landings or stair corners, he adds.
9. Add in wall lighting
(Image credit: Sims Hilditch)
Often left out of staircase lighting ideas, wall lights can play a useful and beautiful part.
‘Staircases and hallways are often forgotten about in terms of lighting and interior design,’ says Louise Wicksteed. ‘However, these spaces are important parts of the home, acting as a connection between the upper and lower floors and creating flow.
‘With this in mind, why not consider the lighting choices throughout the rest of the home and how they might work in this space? For instance, wall lighting works well positioned on the wall of a staircase, gently lighting the way and adding interest.’
10. Contrast lines
(Image credit: MW Architects Photograph French & Tye)
Bring interest to the stairway area by contrasting the lines of the staircase with those of the lighting. Here, the straight lines of the pendant lighting which descend through its void create contrast with the curves of the sculptural helical staircase.
The clear glass shades of the pendant lighting ensure the view through to the staircase isn’t obscured either, but the globes also stand out against the black backdrop for a scheme where every element plays its part.
How do you light up a dark staircase?
To light up a dark staircase, you may need different light sources. Create light from above with pendant lighting, which can provide ambient light for the area, or use recessed ceiling lights in a flat ceiling to cast light downwards.
Meanwhile, wall-recessed stair lights can illuminate the treads effectively, and wall lights can be an elegant addition. If you opt for the latter, bear in mind that the light fitting shouldn’t impede users of the staircase especially if it is already a narrow one.
Lighting ideas should be complemented by decor strategies that multiply both artificial and natural light on a dark staircase. Choose wall paint colors that will reflect rather than absorb light to brighten the area. The stairs themselves can be painted in white as well, as can balusters.
Also consider replacing artwork with decorative mirrors to make a dark staircase lighter.
How do you decorate stairs with lights?
Staircase lighting should always ensure that circulation is safe. However, staircase lighting can be decorative, too.
Wall-recessed stair lights can be a functional addition, but can also highlight the beauty of the material from which the staircase is constructed or show off a traditional stair runner.
